I can't smell the turtle in here. Vetiver, yes but turtle? Nada. Earlier reviews were indeed spot on - I get the same vetiver experience: raw, rooty-earthy and smoky-woodsy in the beginning but swiftly transitioning to a plush and somewhat creamy vetiver note.

Performance-wise it is acceptably average.

Ultimately TURTLE VETIVER FRONT is a gender-neutral fuss-free vetiver-centric scent, one that is easy to enjoy. And I did. But where's the turtle? Perhaps it lurks in the damp faintly musty algae-like note somewhere in the drydown.

On first application to my skin I'm getting a very woody and strong vetiver note. Now the vetiver is very earthy and raw without anything else getting in the way.

After time passes the vetiver becomes more mossy and smoky and settles down fast. It's very good if you like raw straight up vetiver fragrances. But it does not quite live up to the glorious raw pungent opening.

A very good no frills raw vetiver that opens like a dragon and settles on your skin like a puppy. lol... Thumbs up though!

But for something that starts with such a bang, it settles down very quickly very close to the skin and longevity is disappointing on me. I think this might be because it really is not much else but vetiver. At very close quarters it does linger almost imperceptibly though, but for something with such a big opening it feels like a bit of an anticlimax.

So you love vetiver? Then you have to try this. Out of the box this is vetiver in all it's glory exuding it's relentless, captivating, smoky, mulchy, rooty aura. I keep a little bottle of Elizabeth Van Buren Vetiver distillate (for reference only) on a shelf next to the pickled mushrooms. Turtle Vetiver Front has more of the character of this particular vetiver "oil" than any other vetiver-centered blended fragrance I have sampled. The oil is not wearable as a body scent. TVF certainly is. Turtle Vetiver Front also calls strongly to mind Lyn Harris' Vetiver Bourbon, one of the great perfume loves of my wasted life. TVF dries down to quiet elegance. Moss and ambergris contribute. There's a very mild mustiness like a sweet mildew that lurks in the drydown. It adds interest here rather than detracts. Overall any exceptional thing.

A reference vetiver scent. Turtle Vetiver Front starts out with a sharp, smokey, carbon-like -- almost raw vetiver note right out of the gate. While cedar is not listed in the official notes, I think there must be some in here as a supporting character to the vetiver but it never takes front stage, leaving that for the vetiver all the way. After about an hour the scent calms down a bit and mixes in the moss and ambergris creating a sublime dry-down. Projection is only average, but longevity is superb. I find Turtle Vetiver Front to be the perfect combination of vetiver in its raw form, while just refined enough to make it eminently wearable. With things shaping up this good in exercise two, I look forward to what Doyen is going to do with exercise 3, "Back." In the meantime, I immediately bought a bottle of Front... it is incredible smelling. 5 stars out of 5.